Description
The trail starts at Bamfield near Barkley Sound and runs south to Port Renfrew on Port San Juan Bay. In 1902, Bamfield became the North America terminus of the All Red Line’s Pacific submarine cable, which spanned the globe linking the British Empire. A trail was constructed to carry the line south to Victoria (and thence across Canada to link up with the Transatlantic telegraph cable at Heart's Content, Newfoundland), as well as providing telegraph service to the lighthouses at Cape Beale (on Barkley Sound) and Carmanah Point (27 km or 17 mi north of Port Renfrew, at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca).
Hikers can choose to begin the trail in Port Renfrew and travel north, or in Bamfield and travel south. The southern parts of the trail are far more challenging than the flatter area in the north. Overnight hikers must buy a permit as only a set number of people are allowed to be on the trail at any one time, however individuals are permitted to visit during the day at no expense.
The trail itself winds through forests, bogs and beaches. It passes old growth trees, waterfalls, streams and thick patches of deep mud. Along the coast, the trail includes sand and pebble beaches, headlands, and exposed shelf and boulders at low tide. The trail often diverts inland to avoid dangerous surge channels and impassable headlands, where cliffs descend straight into the sea even at low tide, although in some areas the trail follows both a beach route and an inland route which hikers must select between. Portions of the beach sections can be made impassable by high tides; tide tables and maps are issued by Parks Canada staff to all hikers prior to starting the trek. In some inland areas the trail consists of a boardwalk, but care must be taken even there as the boardwalk can be in disrepair and covered with moss and mud.
The main designated campgrounds along the way feature "bear boxes" for safe storage of food, an outhouse, and a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and Olympic Peninsula, when the sea fog is not present. This fog offers a unique perspective as the beach and sky are clear, while the view just off shore is blocked. There are also numerous smaller campsites along the trail, with varying amenities, which can offer a quieter experience away from the often crowded main campsites - as 30 people may start the trail from each direction each day, it is not unusual to find many groups of hikers overnighting at any given main campsite.
The trail is still extremely rugged and requires a high level of fitness, knowledge and skill to complete, although in the last 10 to 15 years it has been upgraded to facilitate hiking and safety for those with less experience. This has changed the nature and challenge of the trail somewhat, but has made it easier for hikers to explore the coast. It has been recommended that hikers travel in groups as a measure of safety, but some hike the trail solo. To cross the larger rivers and streams hikers must ride cable car suspensions, while smaller or slower waterways are bridged only by fallen logs, or may even require wading. There are two waterways that require a boat to cross: the Gordon River, at the southern trailhead, and the Nitinat Narrows, near the midpoint of the trail. A ferry service is operated by the local First Nation. The trail includes some three dozen ladder structures, some of them 30 feet (9.1 m) high, that hikers must ascend or descend. Hikers usually take an average of 7 days to complete the trip, allowing visitors to stop at some point for a day, although it has been run in a single day. Approximately 6,000 backpackers complete the trail every year, with one to two percent requiring emergency evacuation due to injury, illness, or hypothermia.
There are two locations on the trail where food can be bought; the ferry operator, Doug, at Nitinat Narrows at km 32 (mile 20) has fresh seafood, a choice between salmon and crabs, baked potatoes and corn. Chez Monique's on the beach just south of the Carmanah Lighthouse, sells a variety of burgers - beef, salmon, cod, halibut and egg+veggie. Both locations also sell pop and beer and snacks, such as chips, cookies and candies. Prices are expensive, but the food is excellent and very fresh.
Transportation services are available at both ends of the trail via Trail Bus, water taxi, or float plane. Hikers who do not wish to complete the trail can also take a water taxi at Nitinat Narrows to the other end of Nitinat Lake, but this is a time consuming process as the taxi will normally only transport hikers who wish to leave the Trail after 5:00 PM as it is used before then to allow hikers to cross from North to South or the reverse and land travel is slow and tedious.
Read more about this topic: West Coast Trail
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